One of my customers has a Maserati bike from the Late 50's. A road bike single speed and by modern day bikes it is a bit heavy. No double butted thin wall tubing in those days but at the time it was somewhere near the top of bikes made then. This one was made by Roberts cycles- a name for quality custom made frames to this day.

So the recent introduction of the motor trade having bikes with their name on is not a new idea.